Aerospace medicine and human performance
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Aerosp Med Hum Perform · Apr 2017
Patient-Centric Side Effect Risk Assessment for Medications Used During Aeromedical Evacuations.
The U.S. Air Force performs more than 6000 aeromedical transport flights annually, both internationally and domestically. Many of these flights include patients requiring pain relief medications. The risk of side effects from such medications administered at altitude is unknown, but understanding these risks is vital when selecting the safest pain management strategies to achieve optimal postflight outcomes. ⋯ Our results suggest that pain management strategies during AE should be tailored individually to minimize the risk associated with pain medications administered en route.Huntsberger SA, Butler WP, Chapleau RR. Patient-centric side effect risk assessment for medications used during aeromedical evacuations. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2017; 88(4):423-426.
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Aerosp Med Hum Perform · Feb 2017
ReviewPoint-of-Care Ultrasound Utility and Potential for High Altitude Crew Recovery Missions.
Flights to high altitude can lead to exposure and unique pathology not seen in normal commercial aviation. ⋯ An algorithm was created for use in high altitude missions, in the event of an emergency descent and traumatic landing for an unconscious and hypotensive pilot, to rule out most life threatening causes. Each endpoint includes disposition, allowing concise decision-making.Galdamez LA, Clark JB, Antonsen EL. Point-of-care ultrasound utility and potential for high altitude crew recovery missions. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2017; 88(2):128-136.
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Using ultrasound imaging, vascular gas emboli (VGE) are observed after asymptomatic scuba dives and are considered a key element in the potential development of decompression sickness (DCS). Diving is also accompanied with vascular dysfunction, as measured by flow-mediated dilation (FMD). Previous studies showed significant intersubject variability to VGE for the same diving exposure and demonstrated that VGE can be reduced with even a single pre-dive intervention. Several preconditioning methods have been reported recently, seemingly acting either on VGE quantity or on endothelial inflammatory markers. ⋯ This experiment, which had the same subjects perform all control and preconditioning dives in wet but completely standardized diving conditions, demonstrates that endothelial dysfunction appears to not be solely related to VGE.Germonpré P, Balestra C. Preconditioning to reduce decompression stress in scuba divers. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2017; 88(2):114-120.
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Aerosp Med Hum Perform · Jan 2017
Clinical Experience and Learning Style of Flight Nurse and Aeromedical Evacuation Technician Students.
The clinical experience and preferred learning style of U.S. Air Force flight nurses and aeromedical evacuation technicians are unknown. ⋯ These findings confirm faculty concerns regarding the clinical experience of flight nurse and aerospace evacuation technician students.De Jong MJ, Dukes SF, Dufour KM, Mortimer DL. Clinical experience and learning style of flight nurse and aeromedical evacuation technician students. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2017; 88(1):23-29.
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Aerosp Med Hum Perform · Aug 2016
Brain Perfusion and Arterial Blood Flow Velocity During Prolonged Body Tilting.
It remains unknown whether brain perfusion is preserved and mirrored by middle cerebral blood flow velocity (MCA BFV) during prolonged changes in body posture. Herein, we examined the impact of sustained (180 min) 30° head-up (HUT) and head-down (HDT) tilt on brain perfusion, as determined by MCA BFV and blood flow in the extracranial arteries. ⋯ Brain perfusion is preserved whereas MCA BFV is progressively decreased and associated with extracranial arterial BFV during sustained 30° HDT. Therefore, MCA BFV may not be a surrogate of brain perfusion in conditions including prolonged HDT. Montero D, Rauber S. Brain perfusion and arterial blood flow velocity during prolonged body tilting. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2016; 87(8):682-687.